"Thank goodness!" said Guest to himself, as he moved slightly and saw
that his companion appeared to be sleeping heavily; but as he rose
Stratton followed his example, looking very pale, but more like himself.
"Morning; how are you?" said Guest.
"Better--much better."
"You should have undressed and gone to bed, and you'd have been better
still. How's the shoulder?"
"Gave me a good deal of pain several times in the night, but it is
easier now."
"Glad of it, but take my advice; let's have in a doctor, and let him
dress it properly."
"There's no need," said Stratton quietly. "A wound only needs to be
kept from exposure to the air to heal itself."
"Well, of all the obstinate fellows!"
"Oh, no," said Stratton, with a wan smile. "You see I have been very
obedient. If the wound is disposed to turn bad, as I shall soon know, I
will have medical advice. If there is no need, surely you can spare me
the annoyance of answering a surgeon all kinds of questions, and being
tied-down to his routine."
"Well, I will not worry you, old fellow, for you do seem to be better."
"Much," said Stratton quietly. "I only want to be at peace for a time.
I think I shall go into the country."
"Will you?"
"Y-e-s, I think I will."
"With me. Then we'll go as soon as you can start."
"No, no," cried Stratton excitedly. "I should be poor company, and
would rather go alone."
"Not fit. Look here. Happy thought. I'll ask Brettison in."
"No, no!" cried Stratton excitedly.
"But he's the very man. Quiet, calm, and don't talk. Go and pick
buttercups and daisies along with him for a few days, and then come back
to me quite _compos mentis_, and we'll see what can be done."
Guest made toward the door, but Stratton intercepted him.
"I tell you no," he said firmly, "and--and--Brettison is out."
"Out?"
"Gone into the country."
"Humph!" ejaculated Guest, looking at his friend curiously, for there
was something in his manner which puzzled him. But Stratton said
cheerfully:
"Nearly nine. Will you order some breakfast from the tavern?"
"Eh, to be sure. Let's go. No; afraid you are not well enough. I'll
send Mrs Brade. But no nonsense," said Guest.
"I give you my word," said Stratton quietly.
"I take it;" and after a visit to the bedroom Guest came back, looking
refreshed and ready to go out and order the meal to be brought.
In due time this was at the door, and, to the young barrister's great
satisfaction, his friend drank a cup of coffee, and ate sparingly of
some dry toast, looking every minute more and more himself.
There were moments when his face twitched and his eyes looked strange;
but that Guest set down to the pain of his wound; and in the course of
the morning, feeling more and more relieved, he said:
"Look here, old fellow, I think if you'll give me your word of honour
there shall be no nonsense, I'll go back to my place and change,"--he
glanced at his wedding garments as he spoke.
"Yes, I would," said Stratton quietly.
"You are not going to be ill?"
"Certainly not."
"And I can trust you?"
"Of course."
"Then I will go."
"Oh, yes; I shall be all right now, and I may write to you from the
country and ask you to join me."
"Thanks," said Guest dryly; "but you are not going yet. We'll talk
about that when I come back."
"Come back?" said Stratton wildly.
"Oh, yes; I shan't be above an hour."
"But, really, my dear Percy--"
"I will not hear a word now. There, let some fresh air into the room;
the place smells stuffy; my fault, I suppose. It's as if the ghosts of
all the cigars I have smoked here were rising up in evidence against me.
Ta ta! I shall not be long."
Stratton made no reply, but smiled at him faintly as he passed out and
closed the door after him. But the moment Stratton was alone there was
a sudden change. He clasped his hands to his head, and began to pace
the room with rapid strides, but dropped one arm directly as he turned
pallid with pain.
"What to do?" he muttered--"what to do? Mad? Enough to make me. Well,
let them think what they please. It makes no difference now."
He thrust his hand into his pocket and took out a key, and then
shuddered; but drawing himself up, he set his teeth hard and crossed to
where the easy-chair stood in which he had passed the night, wheeled it
from the door, and went to the window after slipping the bolt.
His hand was on the blind, and he was in the act of drawing it down when
there was a knock, and he stood as if paralysed.
"Back so soon!" he thought, and, as if recalling the scene of the
previous day, when Guest insisted upon admission, he gave a sharp glance
round the room, smoothed his hair, and went and opened the door.
"Thank you, sir," said Mrs Brade, stepping in; and he involuntarily
gave way. "Mr Guest asked me to come in and tidy you."
"No, no, not to-day. I--"
"But Mr Guest said I was to, sir, and if you objected I was to tell you
to be calm. It's very glad I am to see you much better," said the
woman, going to the bedroom. "Why, you haven't been to bed all night,
sir. I don't wonder you look pale," she continued, re-entering and
crossing the room. "Did you use your bath?"
She uttered a wild cry as Stratton rushed at her, caught her by the
shoulder with a fierce grip, and swung her away.
"I tell you," he cried, with a fierce growl, "I will not have the place
touched. Go! At once!"
The woman was too much alarmed to speak, and, making for the door,
hurried out, and made for the porter's lodge, "that agitated," as she
said to herself afterward, "that she felt as if she could never go there
again."
Stratton wiped the cold sweat from his brow as soon as he was alone, and
once more began to pace the room, with the key in his hand. But he did
not use it. Thrusting it back in his pocket, he sat down and hurriedly
wrote a letter, in which he inclosed a cheque; then looking out an
address from a directory, he fastened down the envelope, and opened the
window, at which he waited till he saw a familiar face, and asked its
owner to slip the letter in the first pillar box.
This act seemed to revive him, and he grew a little calmer. He turned
to a cabinet containing natural history specimens preserved in spirits,
and taking out first one and then another, he carefully examined them,
removing the tied-down stoppers of several of the large-mouthed vessels;
and he was still examining one of these, with the spirit therein looking
limpid still, when there was a double knock.
His first idea, as he started up, was to hurriedly replace the glass
vessel, but a moment's thought decided him upon leaving it on the table
and opening the door.
"Back again, you see," said Guest, looking at him inquiringly. "Ah,
busy with your specimens. That's right. Nothing like keeping the mind
busy; but clear away; the fellow will be here soon with the dinner, and
I've brought some cigars. Mrs Brade been?"
"Yes; but you are not going to stay here this evening?"
"Indeed, but I am."
Stratton frowned, but said nothing, and in due time the dinner came, was
eaten, and the evening became a repetition of the last, but with the
difference that Stratton seemed far more calm and able to keep himself
under control.
But as the night wore on he stubbornly refused to go to bed. If his
friend intended to stay there in a chair, he would do the same.
"Compulsion will only make him wild and irritate his wound," thought
Guest, and twelve o'clock struck as they settled themselves in their
chairs as before.
"Better humour him," said Guest to himself, as he felt more content with
the change growing in his friend; "he'll be better to-morrow, and then,
perhaps, tell me all about his trouble."
The lamp had been turned down, so that the room was very gloomy, but
there was light enough for Guest to make out the weird aspect of the
busts and various natural history specimens about, one great eagle owl
over the door catching a gleam of the lamp, and looking, with its fixed
glass eyes, fully aware of the mystery overhanging the place. The
various articles of furniture, too, assumed a strange guise, and cast
shadows of a startling nature; but, after a few minutes, Guest settled
down to the contemplation of his friend, whose eyes seemed to be closed,
though a few minutes later a faint scintillation showed that he was
still awake and watchful.
But Guest was too weary now to feel any dread. Stratton was evidently
sorry for his mad attempt, and perfectly sane, so, after a few brave
efforts to keep awake, the young barrister calmly dropped off into a
deep sleep, and the busy working of a dream, in which Edie was
scornfully telling him that she had discovered all about his escapade
with a dark woman resembling the queen of spades, and when he tried to
catch her in his arms and convince her that he was a perfectly innocent
man, she sprang from her seat, uttering a piercing cry.
Trembling and startled, Guest leaped up, to find the lamp turned to its
full height, and, with the strange hoarse cry still ringing in his ears,
he saw Stratton standing back against the cabinet farthest from the
fireplace, glaring wildly, while from out of the closet, apparently, a
curious rustling noise, followed by a dull blow upon something hollow,
fell upon his ear.